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Three day work week for Congress

Congress is getting burned out by five day week and needs to cut back. Maybe there is not enough free time to spend their pay increase, but they the Congress can't get Social Security an increase this year.

cave canem...beware of the dog
Richard Halstead (halst001 at yahoo.com)

Article [I.]
Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof; or abridging the freedom of speech, or of the press; or the right of the people peaceably to assemble, and to petition the Government for a redress of grievances.
Article [II.]
A well regulated Militia, being necessary to the security of a free State, the right of the people to keep and bear Arms, shall not be infringed.

"Bush on track to become the vacation president," Julie Mason headlined in the August 9, 2007, edition of the Houston Chronicle:[1]
"On Thursday, Bush left for a weekend in Kennebunkport, Maine, and his family's summer compound, Walker's Point. On Monday, he heads to his Crawford retreat, where he has spent all or part of 418 days of his presidency, according to Mark Knoller, a CBS News White House correspondent and meticulous record-keeper. "...The presidential vacation-time record holder is the late Ronald Reagan, who tallied 436 days in his two terms. At 418 days, and with 17 months to go in his presidency, Bush is going to beat that easily." "I guess you could look at it this way -- the more he's on vacation, the less damage he can do to the country," Pam Spaulding wrote August 12, 2007.[2]

OK, Let's be reasonable. Bush was in office for 8 years.
Lets compare to the typical worker.
Just weekends Sat and Sun 832 days
2 weeks vacation per year 80 days
10 paid holidays 80 days
That adds up to 992 days and he took 977 days.
Does anyone really believe that the President doesn't work when they are at Camp David or in this case his Texas ranch?

I think that those questioning the work hours of members of Congress should try spending a few weeks keeping up with them. I have known and worked with more than a few politicians over time. Few have worked less than 16 hour days and none has worked less than seven days/week. Attending a cocktail party or ball or dinner with your constituents may sound like a party, but when you do it several times per week, it is all work. Even those like Eisenhower, Reagan and GWB, who spent large amounts of time on "vacation", playing golf, etc. were working hard through most of those activities. When your job is being a listener and a leader, little of your important work is done at a desk. The venues you choose for exercising influence vary by personal taste, ut when GWB was at his ranch in Texas with the press corp staked out at the gate and numerous staff and visitors there at all times, there is no question in my mind that he was working most of the time.

On a personal note, I worked at one point with First Deputy Mayor John Zuccotti in NYC. After a period of months where he spent more all nighters in meetings than he did at home, he decided to take a 5 day vacation with his wife and kids. To do this, they opted for a cruise. Halfway through, the Mayor had a helicopter fly out to the ship to pull him off.